“Then said He unto me, ‘Prophesy unto the wind; prophesy, Son of Man, and say to the wind, ‘Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O Breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live’.”
Ezekiel 37:9
No amount of structure, planning or programming can breathe new life into a person or organization.
What a sight that must have been that day when Ezekiel (in his vision) “prophesied as he was commanded and suddenly there was a noise and a shaking (Heb. ‘ra ‘ash’—‘commotion, vibrating, uproar, rattling, rushing, etc.’) as the bones came together, bone to his bone” (v.7).
Even now we can envision, as the humorous song of years ago said, “The ankle bone’s connected to the leg bone and the leg bone attaching itself to the thigh bone and the thigh bone popping into the socket of the hip bone,” etc. And, then like some scene of a movie like The Mummy, “the sinews and the flesh came upon them and the skin covered them” (v.8a).
“But there was no breath in them” (v.8b).
The bones had miraculously come together to re-form the skeleton. Muscles, tendons, ligaments, sinews, etc., had suddenly appeared on those previously dried out, bleached white, brittle bones as new flesh suddenly began covering them in one fell swoop.
But, again, “there was no breath in them.”
All of those newly-formed bodies were still dead. Lifeless. Lying motionless.
And, so it is with any person or organization—even a church—that seeks to operate in its own strength. . .which is what is meant by “having a form of Godliness, but deny the power thereof” (II Tim. 3:5).
The Hebrew word “ruwach” is used in our Manna for “wind” and “breath” and is the same word used in Gen. 3:8 where it says “And they heard the Voice of the Lord God walking in the Garden in the cool (wind) of the day.” Likewise, it’s the same word used in Ex. 14:21 for the “strong, east wind that blew all night, parting the Red Sea and drying the ground.”
Thus, it’s a picture of God’s Breath. And, in the New Testament it’s the picture of the Holy Spirit. After the Resurrection when Jesus appeared to His startled disciples in the closed room, He “showed them His hands and side, commissioned them and then breathed on them, saying ‘Receive the Holy Spirit’” (Jn. 20:20-22). Later on, on the Day of Pentecost, they’d understand what He did and the importance of His Spirit in their lives (Acts 2:1ff).
Oh, dear Pilgrim, pity the person or the church that feels like he/she can operate in his/her own strength. They may do a lot of “good” things and generate a lot of “excitement” and activity, but they’ll never see the Spirit move in ways that can only be explained by His Power and Anointing. May we be so desperate for Him today that we’ll refuse to say or do anything until He says to do it.
By Tom Smith Morning Manna Dated February 6, 2010
